Yubi Lapki- traditional and unique Manipuri rugby

It is extremely surprising to know that the origin of rugby, a sport which is played almost in the whole of the Europe, in countries like Argentina, Australia, Scotland, Spain etc. is claimed to be a sport of originated from Manipur in India. Even though the origin of this world famous sport is accepted to be from Manipur in India, the game in this north eastern state is played with a slight twist.

This world famous game of Rugby is known as Yubi Lapki in the lace of its origin. The word Yubi Lapki literally translates to coconut snatching. There is a legend which goes behind its very different name. According to the legend, the game was an enactment of snatching the heavenly nectar pot after the Samudra Manthan, which was held on the occasion of the Yaoshang Festival at the palace of the current royal family.

The game of Yubi Lapki is mostly as same as the well-known rugby. The rules, the playing field etc. differ slightly, but are almost the same; Except for the fact that Yubi Lapki is played with a coconut instead of a ball, hence going back to the roots of the original game. The game is watched over by a score keeper, a teacher. In the olden times, it was overlooked by the current king and the winning team was to get the coconut. However, the point or the game was to have fun, and it’s still played as a game to enjoy and have fun.

Lucky restaurant, Ahmedabad- Dine with the Dead

To every life, death is inevitable but it is also something that none of us knows how it feels that is why we as humans tend to create imaginary object or situations that might feel like a dead. Death is also considered as a very unlucky thing. Just opposite to this very worldwide notion is the lucky restaurant in Ahmedabad which is built upon a cemetery. To the owner of this restaurant, Mr Krishnan, who is now 72 it is very common to see people comes here and spend long hours sitting her in his restaurant called lucky and dine with the dead.

This restaurant is built on a Muslim cemetery and the owner says that it’s very lucky for him and ironically he named it the lucky restaurant. While building the restaurant they paved over the graves and decided to build a restaurant in and around them. The tombs were very delicately covered with clothes. According to the notion that death is unlucky or a very negative aspect, initially people resisted coming and dining here but wit time it got famous and the local’s started to believe that the graves here belong to the saints of the 19th century and people started to come and dine here.

One of the very popular things sold here, for which it initially became popular is the masala chai with buns. Locals and tourist from all over come to this place in Ahmedabad to enjoy this lip-smacking snack.

Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak’s toilet museum

Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, the icon of Sanitation and a nationwide social reform is a missionary and a social reformer of today’s India. His love for the unprivileged class of the society and the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi pushed him to work for his undying love and bring a reform in the country as a result of which he founded the Sulabh International Service Organization in the year 1970. . Mr. Bindeshwar is one of the few men who have taken a step towards reforming the sanitation facilities in or country and have worked with full dedication on improving them.

The worldwide famous toilet museum created by Mr. Bindeshwar is not your ordinary museum which gives you the idea of stuffy corridors full of high street culture. This is a museum where you will find the whole big evolution of toilets used by the mankind throughout the human history. The toilets here can be trace to about 2500 BC. According to him toilets are one of the most important parts of our life, and being in a country like India he is very proud of improving the sanitation facilities.

Located in Delhi the Sulabh International Museum is open from 10am to 5pm every day except the Indian national holidays. The entry and the parking tickets to this world famous museum are absolutely free of cost.

For anyone who has the desire or a taste for something different and worthwhile to look at the Sulabh International museum is definitely a must visit.

Tawang Arunachal Pradesh

Tawang is a town which is mostly dominated by the Republic of India, and part of is claimed by the People’s Republic of China as a part of South Tibet. It is situated at a very high elevation of 3048 meters approximately. Nature has been said to be extremely lavish in this part of the country and the beauty here will mesmerize you like nothing before. Its beauty is unparalleled to anything else; this place will surely make you marvel over the gift of nature that mother earth has bestowed on us.

It is 10000 meters above the sea level and is surrounded by beautiful lakes. 

This town is extremely rich is its scenic beauty. Enthralling peaks, clear rivers, stunning waterfalls, lovely lakes tress so green that it makes you want to gaze t them all day; you name I an the town has every aspect of beauty. Tawang is very generous when I comes to local tourist attractions, it offers a number of destinations to visit.

One of the most famous destinations is the Sela Pass which is the most frequently visited tourist site in the whole of Arunachal Pradesh. Sela pass is known as the heaven on the earth, be it summers or winters it’s always he perfect time to visit this place. Other places; like the Tawang monastery, Taktsang Gompa is some places which show the religious side of this town.

Tawang is also popularly known for its unique cuisine which is sure to make your taste buds dance. The only thing that is absolutely necessary to carry while visiting this place is your camera so that you can come back with a suitcase full of memories.

Shojha- A Lesser Known Village in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is a place which is full of beautiful places and people from all around the world come to witness the absolutely mesmerizing beauty of this place. Amidst all of this beauty is nestled a small pretty and an absolutely heavenly village of Shojha.

Shojha is a small village with loads of surprises. Here you don’t particularly have to visit anywhere. Each inch each meter each kilometer of this place provides such a scenic beauty that your eye4s will feast upon. You can simply take a walk to various parts of this village, and you might not even realize when it surprises you with a meadow or a waterfall. Shojha provides an exceptional natural experience it is an ideal place for camping, trekking, nature walks and bird watching.

The parts around this small village come under the Great Himalayan National Park which is a habitat or numerous flora species like the oak or the conifer forests and the bamboos. There are alpine meadows and beautiful and fast flowing rivers and of course the stunning waterfalls which magnify the overall beauty of this place.

If you are looking for more things to do while visiting this place then you should visit the Jalori Pass which is just 5 kilometres away from Shojha. The Jalori pass is again very gloriously beautiful in itself; it is all meadows surrounded by mountains that will make you forget any beauty you have ever seen before. This place is absolutely perfect for a break from our busy lives.

Patan, the Kumarpala Rasa of Gujarat

Patan is an ancient town situated on the banks of Hindu scared river Saraswati. It is located about 130 kilometers towards the west of Ahmedabad. Although this town is old and dusty but is largely famous for its historically rich buildings, forts, and temples. This own was founded in 746 AD. Patan enjoyed the status of being the capital of Gujarat for almost 600 years.

It is an old town, with streets lined with old but beautiful wooded small houses. Walking in the4se streets make you feel like you have traveled back in time. Jainism is rich in Patan. These are more than 100 ancient and faded Jain temples which are a must to look at. It is known that Patan was described as a prosperous town in the Jain text called the ‘Kumarpala Rasa’

Another must visit place is the Sahastraling Talav, which is an artificial tan and was built by the Siddhraj Jai Singh in Gujarat. Its great architecture and the quality shows that there was a great sense of water management and water harvesting back in those times. It is also a famous spot to show the importance of water and its sanctity in the Hindu religion.

Patan is well connected to al the major cities of Gujarat so it is very easy to visit this place. T is also very famous for its ‘polka’ silk saree and you should never leave the place without buying one.

Manas National Park Assam- Natural Habitat at its Best

Manas national park is one of the first reserve included under the project tiger in the year 1973. Located at the base of the Himalayas in the Bhutan region in the state of Assam; in the year 1985, Manas wildlife sanctuary was counted under the world heritage site. Manas national park is also an elephant reserve, a biosphere reserve a national park and a wild life sanctuary.

The unique name Manas is derived from the Hindu goddess Manasa. This name is also shared with the river Manas that passes though the national park. This national park is very famous as it is home to many rare and endangered species of both flora and fauna. Many7 rare animals lie, the great black panthers, one horned Rhinos, and clouded leopards are also found here.

The national park has enthralling beauty; most of the land is covered in grasslands and woodlands of several species many of which are very rarely found. This place is a well known tourist destination and is open to visit all the year round. The best months to visit here fall between the months of November and April. Manas national park is well connected to the entire major cities and it is quite easy to visit the place it is definitely a delight to the eye and for anyone looking for a different vacation it is a must visit.

Majuli, A Small Lesser Known Island in Assam

Majuli is the largest river island in the world located on the great river Brahmaputra in Assam. It is formed by the River Brahmaputra in the south and towards the north it is joined by the rivers Kherkutia Xuti and river Subansiri. Since the 16^th century it has been known as the cultural capital for the Assamese civilisation, therefore this place attracts a lot of tourists who are looking for a vacation with a touch of the rich culture.

Being culturally rich Majuli has a lot of festivals which are celebrated with huge zeal ad enthusiasm by the local people and these festivals serve as another crowd puller. Another thing that attracts a lot of tourists to this place is that Majuli is home to a lot of migratory birds and a lot of people who are keen on watching the different and beautiful birds often visit this place. The best months to visit this place are January, February and March in the beginning of the year. As most festivals fall under these months and this is the time when the birds migrate to this place.

There are a few amazing places which come at a cheap rate to stay here. For commuting within the place you can use local taxi services or use the boat services which also provide an excellent view or you can hire bicycles to get around this beautiful place.

Kurnool, The Gateway of Rayalaseema

Kurnool is a district situated in the beautiful state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It is the 10^th largest district in India and second largest district of Andhra Pradesh. It is surrounded by Telangana towards the north, Karnataka towards the north-west and towards the west and again by various districts of Karnataka towards the south-east and east.

Kurnool is also a small town in the state of Andhra Pradesh: which is very famous for its historical stories and imprint that the History has left.  This small town has most of the remains of the palace of the last Hindu king Gopal Raju. It has various remains of many medieval forts built by ancient Egyptian and Arabic rulers during the 16^th century.

Kurnool is a popular tourist site for people with interest in history along with a touch of a religious blend. Kurnool also offers a sumptuous variety of local dishes. One this Kurnool is famous for is the huge variety sweets. The food here is mostly inspired by South Indian flavours and spices.

The travel and stay here is pretty cheap. You can find good places to stay at a pretty nominal rate. Commuting in Kurnool is overall easy. Cabs are readily available every hour and you can also hire cars if you’d like to drive on your own. This is a lovely place to visit in the moths of July and August the monsoon season increases the beauty of this place and it becomes nothing less than heaven.

Khajjar Himachal Pradesh- A Place Must Vist

The world is full of beautiful places; place that make you forget that you are on the same planet that has crowded cities and pollution. One such place is Khajjar nestled in faraway lap of the Himachal Pradesh it is also known as the Switzerland of India or the mini Switzerland. Located in the Chamba district of the Himachal Pradesh is 570 Km from Delhi, the capital of India.

Its beauty has continuously attracted tourist from not only India but outside the country as well. There are many very attractive tourist locations to visit. Khajjar has a very famous nine-hole golf course which is right in the middle of lush green beauty. Khajjar is basically a small plateau and it also has a small lake which is one of the most favoured tourist sites in Khajjar. Other attractions include various temples like Khajji Nag Temple, Golden Devi Temple.

There are not many options when it comes to stay in the place. There are a few good hotels and some cottages run by the Himachal tourism which are also a good option to stay. For commuting people usually prefer walking around the place and going to sites as it is a small place and also that way you can thoroughly take in the mesmerising beauty of this place.

Kasol Himachal Pradesh- A Place Known for its Pot Culture

Kasol famous amongst bag packers and trekkers and those who enjoy nature in its truest form, Kasol is a small charming village in the lap of the Parvati valley which is again a very famous tourist destination in the Himachal Pradesh. To escape the stress of our monotonous modern lives this is an ideal place to visit.

This place is also famous for its pot culture. So if you are one of those of those who want to try it or are into pot culture. This place is also a famous site for the people from hippie hues. And even if you are the kind of person to stay away from both of these, there are so many other things to do in Kasol.

Kasol being a hub for a large number of Israelis is greatly influenced by their culture as well. The food in Kasol is also inspired by their food. There are a lot of local dishes to be tried in this place.  A Very famous dish called the Shakshouka is a dish made by poached eggs dipped in tangy tomato curry and served with pita bread and hummus paste.

Kasol is a small place so you’ll find a very limited option of hotels and guest houses but each of them promises a breath-taking view and delicious food to give you the perfect holiday from your busy lives.